The Dynamics of Socialization- Learning and Adapting in a Cultural Context

The Dynamics of Socialization- Learning and Adapting in a Cultural Context

According to Griffiths, socialization refers to the process by which individuals are taught to be proficient society members (94). The family is considered the first socialization agent. Family members like fathers, mothers and siblings teach a child what they need to know as they show the child the way that they can use objects like clothes and riding a bike; the manner in which they should relate to other people such as being respectful to others and the manner in which the world works (what is imagined as opposed to that which is real) (Griffiths 100). According to Barkan, the family plays an integral role in individuals’ development and socialization since there is a long contact between individuals and their families (particularly primary caregivers like mothers or fathers). Since this contact occurs during the most formative years of individuals’ lives, interaction with parents profoundly affects people’s lives. Social class, race and gender, among others, play a key role in socialization. For instance, Griffiths claims that low-income families emphasize conformity and obedience while raising their children, whereas wealthy families place emphasis on creativity and judgment (101). These are norms that might be consistent with the parents’ upbringing or jobs, and hence, children are also socialized into these norms and practice them in society. Do you need help with your assignment ? Get in touch with us at eminencepapers.com.

My parents played a key role in teaching me important norms like obedience and respect for other people. They always asked me to be mindful of how my actions would affect others and constantly apply the golden rule of doing unto others what I would have them do unto me. In addition, my parents taught me important factors like sex and drugs and the dangers of engaging in unprotected sex and using drugs. This has always been an uncomfortable topic, but my mother ensured that I was aware of it and made informed decisions during my teenage years. As a result of these, I have always been cautious of my actions, trying to be mindful of others, particularly while speaking, and at the same time, I play it safe when it comes to sex and the use of drugs.

Institutions like schools are also important socialization agents. As per Griffiths, most children in the US spend around 7 hours of their days and 180 days annually in school (101). Students learn important aspects like arithmetic, writing and reading in school (Barkan). At the same time, their interaction with their peers builds their social interaction skills and interaction with authority figures like teachers, enhancing their obedience and respect for authority and making it possible for them to become responsible members of society (Barkan). Furthermore, schools socialize children into such behaviors as using textbooks, following a schedule and practicing homework (Griffiths 101). Schools also enable students to learn the aspect of competition, hence impressing upon them the idea of winning and losing in society and also teaching them teamwork when they have to work together on a project (Griffiths 102). Schools also help children with the aspect of national pride and good citizenship. Therefore, these institutions play a key role in socializing students into what is expected of them by society and what will be beneficial to them as individuals.

The school played a crucial role in teaching me how to read and write. This education has been substantial as it continues to help me to be a respectable and valuable member of society. Schools also taught me to socialize with individuals from diverse backgrounds. As a result, I embrace diversity, particularly race, gender, and religion. I love being in a diverse team as the amount of creativity and learning in such teams is higher for me.

Mass media is also an important socialization agent. It distributes information to a large audience through radio, newspapers, television, and the Internet. Due to its pervasive nature, mass media greatly influences social norms, and individuals are able to learn such things as material culture, like new technology, and the non-material culture, such as what is considered substantial (values), what is true (beliefs) as well as what is expected (norms) (Griffiths 103). Mass media also influences individuals’ political views, their views about people of color, women, LGBTQ+, and popular culture, among others.

The media, particularly movies, have played a key role in shaping how I view the LGBTQ+ community. By constantly seeing them in films, I realized my unconscious bias toward them and learned to accept them as valuable members of our society. The media has also taught me to be more aware of the challenges that people of color and women constantly face in our community, having to battle various stereotypes and discrimination, and I have become more interested and active in organizations and clubs that strive to minimize racial and gender inequalities in our society.

Works Cited

Barkan, Steven. Sociology: Understanding and changing the social world. Boston, MA: Flat World Knowledge, Incorporated, 2011.

Griffiths, H. N. Introduction to Sociology (2e). OpenStax, 2017.

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Socialization is a social structure in societies and cultures, and sociology can analyze this process in agents of socialization as a macro-level analysis.

Socialization helps people learn to function successful

ly in their social worlds. How does the process of socialization occur? How do we learn to use the objects of our society’s material culture? How do we come to adopt the beliefs, values, and norms that represent its non-material culture?

Socialization as a social structure can also promote social inequalities in societies and cultures. Please pay attention to that!

Answer: This learning takes place through interaction with various agents of socialization, like peer groups and families, plus both formal and informal social institutions. Social Group Agents Social groups often provide the first experiences of socialization. Families, and later peer groups, communicate expectations and reinforce norms. People first learn to use the tangible objects of material culture in these settings, as well as being introduced to the beliefs and values of society.

Pick three agents of socialization from the list below and describe how important they are to the development and socialization of individuals in our society.
Also give two examples for each agent of socialization that you chose and tell how this affected your development.
Agents of Socialization for you to pick to discuss: